We Love Stuffies!!

We did it!  Stuffie Adoption Day 2026 was a big success!!

This cutie patootie cracked us all up.
Photo shared with family permission.

Honestly, I have not idea how many stuffies were donated and adopted…  I do know one thing – there were far too many to count!

There were stuffies of every size, shape, and species.  There were characters (boy did we have a lot of Minnie Mouses this year).  There were classics (Pooh, Rex from Toy Story, and many more).  There were electronic stuffies (a cat that purrs and wiggles her ears, an owl that reads stories aloud, an I am not sure what that has eyes that look like screens and looks sort of scary…).  And there was everything in between.

The sun was shining.  The weather was perfect.  The kids were excited (and so was I!).  And the bakers were amazing!!

Getting ready to begin!!  The set-up volunteers, and the first group of event volunteers!  If you can't tell from the photo, we were excited!

How it worked:

Stuffies were donated by the community.  We asked that they be clean and in good condition, and wow, were there a LOT to choose from!  This is a rough estimate, but I am guessing we had between 200 – 300 stuffies (including, oops, the bag that accidentally got left in our car so didn’t even have a chance at adoption…). 

Visitors browsed through the many, many amazing stuffies, chose their 2 favorites, and then headed over to get an adoption certificate filled out.  There they were asked the name of their new friend for the official paperwork.  Most chose a name right there on the spot – Sparkles, Bob, Kitty… 

There were very delicious baked goods made by super kind neighbors.  There were Rice Krispie treats decorated for Halloween, brownies, muffins, cookies galore, cakes, donuts, cinnamon rolls…  My mouth is watering just writing about them!  One sweet baker, a young one, was all set to bake with her Grandma, but Grandma had a medical emergency so could not come to town.  No worries!  H. put on her apron and made delicious sweets all by herself (including adorable unicorn horns and cinnamon rolls!).  She also stayed to help out at the event!

Free Stuffies!  Stop and get your free stuffies!

A talented neighbor created kindness greeting cards and they were so cute!  I wish I had taken a photo of the display.  We have some of those left if you would like to buy any.  They are really nice.

 

Young artists made posters for the event and volunteers took turns holding them high to attract people driving, walking, and biking by.  One group of young helpers took it upon themselves to start a “drive thru bake sale and stuffie” business.  It was pretty funny seeing them interact with people in cars at the red light.  They made lots of sales of baked goods and gave away some stuffies that way, too!  One of the Venmo donations that came in included the note, “Thank you for the cookies & plushies!!  - the family in the black Ford Explorer”.  Ha ha ha.

Volunteers in ACTION!

I decided Stuffie Adoption Day was the perfect time to bust out my new (to me) tutu I had thrifted in Omaha.  It must’ve made a grand impression, because my almost 5 year-old friend John brought me over this drawing of me wearing it today!

I love this drawing of me in my tutu!  The way the artist changes perspective from looking at me to looking down on the tutu - isn't it great?  I think I may need to change my profile photo to this...

The event is meant to be a FUN Raiser, not really a FUND Raiser, because the stuffies are free to adopt.  But the addition of the bake sale not only means visitors have something sweet to eat, but that money is collected to support Kindness Activist’s mission to spread more kindness in the world.  We did not expect to raise a lot – the event was only 6 hours.  But boy howdy, were we surprised to add up the total!!

The bake sale (and cards) raised $802.37 for Kindness Activist!!  Amazing!

Not to worry - I only adopted the pig HAT, not the other two pigs in the photo.

My favorite part of this event was talking with the guests.  It was so fun chatting with volunteers and “shoppers”.  One woman came up to me and said, “You know, we have been wondering WHAT this house is…  We tried Googling it but couldn’t figure it out…  We are so glad we saw this event today and stopped by!”.  They left not only knowing about KA and the work we do in the community, but they also bought a Kind is Cool shirt to help us spread the word!  (And I think that their little baby will be back next month to write a letter to Santa…)

Such great volunteers!! 

I was delighted that some guests of the Little Yellow Free Pantry got to get baked goods, too.  Whenever I saw a guest at the Pantry, I invited them over to choose something from the bake sale table.  They were so happy to be included and to get a homemade treat.

So many volunteers came out to help – of all ages, too.  At some points we had more volunteers than shoppers!  And that was a-ok with us because it gave us time to put out more stuffies and gave us an excuse to stand on the corners with our signs. 

Happy adopter with her new stuffies, snuggled in and ready for bed

We heard lots of great comments during the day about how fun it is to help, how cute the stuffies were, and how tasty the lemonade and baked goods were.  One mamma took time to send us this note, explaining what her son told her after they left.  He had a hard week, and she wasn’t sure they would be able to come over.  But then he told her: “I thought today would be the worst day, but today was a really fun day—the BEST day!”  His mom reported, “He seems to say this every time we come to a kindness event. I think the kindness energy accumulates into a powerful presence chez vous!”.  After choosing his stuffies, he even stayed to help with the beautiful chalk messages, and we were very happy he came.

So many people to thank.

Thanks to the donors of stuffies (YOU thought you were “getting them out of your house”, but you were also making lots of kids very happy)

Thanks to Teresa for making the beautiful cards

Thanks to the talented bakers

Thanks to the sign makers

Thanks to the chalk artists

Thanks to the “drive-thru bake sale” crew and to ALL of the amazing volunteers

And thanks to the people who came and adopted stuffies.  I know, I know, you already have “enough” stuffies in your lives, you do not really need yet another one.  But still, you came.  You let your kids choose a new friend (or two!).  You bought baked goods and help further our mission.

And you made my heart very happy.

Helping a little friend made his selection

P.S. - Check out this sweet "letter" John wrote (all by himself!) to David today about the stuffie event!

P.P.S. - We adopted out about half of the stuffies, meaning we have a LOT left.  This is a good thing, because it means:  

1.  We get to host an afternoon session of "plop into the stuffies and take your photo" day (date and time to be determined and announced soon)

2.  We have great stuffies to donate!  If your school, troop, religious institution, or group would like some, please email us at:  KindnessActivist@gmail.com .

Summer Pantry Crew (and a can of carrots...)

I am not a numbers person.

I love words.  And I love people.

But I recognize that some people ARE numbers people, so that’s why I led will this piece with figures:

·      Over 150 hours

·      Spanning 56 days

·      7 adults (plus one as needed assistant)

·      5 kids

·      Countless guests

Those numbers represent what it took to run the Little Yellow Free Pantry (LYFP) over the summer so that David and I could get away for a much-needed break.

Because you see, the LYFP is not just a decoration on a street corner.

It’s not an afterthought.

It is a very intentional and important part of our community.

It helps feed people.  It gives them nourishment to have energy to tackle their jobs.  Or to focus in school.  Or to take care of their family.  Or to simply survive.

Yes, at 5 ½ years old, it has become an integral part of the “food chain” in our community. 

Like I said, I am not a numbers person, so I don’t usually share this fact…  But the Little Yellow Free Pantry gives away over $83,000 of food and toiletries annually (I am sure that number is actually much higher than that now with the price of groceries having risen so much). 

Because of the importance of the LYFP in our community, it is sometimes difficult for David and I to get away.  I feel guilty leaving the pantry unattended. 

Now, you might be thinking, “Oh Susan, it will be fine.  Just let it run organically.  People will put things in there.  The guests will be fine.  Don’t worry.”

But I KNOW many of these guests.  I know their needs, their preferences, their dietary restrictions…  They are a part of this community, and I don’t want to let them down.  I don’t want them to repeatedly make the trek to the LYFP (by bus, by foot, by car (using valuable gas), by bike, by skateboard…) and find it empty.

Plus, we take the concept of “Everybody deserves good food” seriously around here.  We believe that if we wouldn’t eat it, we shouldn’t serve it in the pantry either.   That’s why we are careful to sort through donations.  If an item is open or expired, it does not go in the pantry.  We want guests to be treated with the respect all humans deserve, and serving them food out of rusty, expired cans is not the way to do that. 

 

But that sorting takes a lot of effort. 

And opening the boxes of donated food takes a lot of work.

As does hauling that heavy food downstairs.

And noting expiration dates on things.

And shelving it all.

And breaking down boxes for recycling.

And decanting large bottles of oil into smaller jars, and big bags of rice into meal size sealed packets.

And talking with guests when they visit to see if they have a special need that we might be able to meet.

It takes a lot of time, effort, and love to keep the pantry going.

And while we are gone, it also takes a lot of communication and trust.

And that’s when the PANTRY CREW steps in to replace us!

We have a year-round, constant Pantry Crew, neighbors who are both kind and trustworthy.  Because, you see, they actually come into our home when we are not here to work on the pantry.  Never did I ever imagine living in a house that neighbors came in and out of when I was not present, but here we are! 

The constant crew was not quite big enough to pick up the work for the summer, so we added some special summer crew members, too!  The summer crew included:

·      Teresa (and occasionally her husband Dan when donations were too heavy to carry down to the shelves)

·      Kasey and her kids Mackenzie and Ryder

·      Christy

·      Jacquie

·      Ixi, Mac, and their kids Ixel and John

·      Cindy and her granddaughter Daisy

This amazing group of humans kept the pantry alive while we escaped to Florida.  While we were swimming in the ocean, they were sweating carrying down heavy boxes of veggies.  While we were relaxing on the beach, they were talking with guests and getting them what they needed.  And while we were playing board games, they were cutting up boxes and hauling them to the curb.

The pantry simply could NOT exist without volunteers, and we are super grateful for these people!!

Joining the crew showed summer members firsthand how hard it is to manage a project of this scale.  It also allowed them to meet some guests and see firsthand who the food supports.  It taught the new child member responsibility (and she even brought her dad over one afternoon so she could teach HIM how it all works).  And it reinforced community, compassion, and empathy for all.

We hosted a Thank You Party for the Summer Crew and had a great time eating, laughing, and chatting.  We talked about our favorite things to put in the pantry: Ixel – pads and tampons, Kasey – whole meals like pasta, spaghetti, and parmesan cheese, Daisy – honey, Susan – summer sausage, Ixi – Hormel Compleats meals…

We talked about how fun it is to meet guests, and how it is much more WORK than it appears from the outside.

And we laughed about our ongoing joke – A CAN OF CARROTS.

Usually when I talk with people about the pantry, they ask what things are popular with guests.  But it is rare for someone to ask, “What doesn’t get taken??”.  But when you work on the crew, you learn pretty quickly what the least favorite items are, and one of those is for sure cans of carrots.

We joke that we can put a can of carrots in and it will still be there 3 days later.  The shelves may have emptied and been refilled time and time again, but the CAN OF CARROTS remains!!  Canned carrots just don’t go over that well.  To celebrate this fun fact, each Summer Pantry Crew member received a colorful shirt with the Kindness Activist logo on the front, and the phrase, “I survived the Summer Pantry Crew…  And so did a can of carrots.”  The shirts were a big hit!  (And I later learned that a young Summer Pantry Crew member even experimented with the positioning of the canned carrots on the shelves to see if that made a difference!  Apparently, it did not…)

Ixi and Kasey modeling their new shirts

The other item that sometimes stays in the pantry for a long time is boxed stuffing/dressing.  To make stuffing, you need to have an oven (and to make it tasty, you need other ingredients).  Also, I think not all cultures have stuffing as a “thing”, so it is just not a big hit in the pantry. 

Of course, being on pantry duty also shows you what the most popular items are!  Some of those are:  drinks of any kind, fruit cups, cans of fruit, cans of hearty soup, Compleats meals, microwave popcorn, ramen, Maseca, pasta, and pasta sauce.  Oh, and toiletries of any kind!!  Pantry guests cannot use SNAP benefits to buy toiletries, so shampoo, deodorant, feminine hygiene products, toothpaste, lotion, shaving cream…  We hand out a lot of toiletries.

What's YOUR favorite thing to put in the pantry?  Some of the Summer Crew!

The Summer Pantry crew was a great reminder for me of how it really does take a village.  Without their support, we would not be able to get away to recharge.  I am so grateful for their hard work and commitment.

Summer Pantry Crew (missing Christy, plus Susan and David)

The Pantry Crew is full at the moment, but we do often need volunteers for other things.  If you would like to add your name to our volunteer list, please send you name, email address, and cell phone number to:  kindnessactivist@gmail.com .  We will add you to our database.  Also, we often ask for volunteers on our Facebook page (Kindness Activist), so give us a follow there.

If you would like to donate to the Little Yellow Free Pantry, the most needed items as of September 22, 2026 are:

·      Bars of soap (we are out)

·      Single serving cups of instant mashed potatoes

·      Bags/boxes of instant mashed potatoes

·      Heat and eat Indian meals (we are out)

·      Microwave popcorn (we are low)

·      Canned fruit of any kind (always needed, hard to keep in stock)

·      Ketchup and/or mustard

·      Cans of corn

·      Evaporated milk

You can see our Amazon wishlist here (please focus on items marked “most needed” – we try to keep that up to date): 

Little Yellow Free Pantry Wish List 

And, as always, if you would like to donate to Kindness Activist to help keep our mission of spreading kindness going, we would appreciate it.  Donations are tax deductible.  Donations accepted via:

 

Venmo (KindnessActivist)

 

PayPal (KindnessActivist)

 

Credit Card:

 Donate via credit card

Magical Kindness Ripples

I believe in magical thinking.

I have always known that I do, and it is something I rather enjoy (most of the time).  My magical thinking manifests itself in a variety of ways and I embrace it.  I do not believe that it makes me irrational or childish (as some might say) – I think it is an extension of my creative brain.

My magical thinking has played a part in a mystery this year.  One that I feared to solve, because perhaps knowing the true answer would make the magic disappear (or maybe cause it to be “less magical” if that makes sense).

 

Here is the mystery:

 

We had another secret donor to the Little Yellow Free Pantry.

 

Boxes and bags would arrive with the same name on the Amazon slips over and over – a first initial and a last name. 

 

Of course I NOTICED it.  I mean, how could I NOT?  The mystery gifts arrived so frequently.  The boxes often contained fun, unusual items from the Pantry wish list, things that more “practical” donors might not choose.  A jar of salted nuts.  Pancake syrup.  Spices.  Chocolate chip cookie mix.  Not things that are strictly NECESSITIES, but items that make eating more enjoyable, and “level the playing field” a bit for those who are food insecure (and make their dinners much, much less boring).

 

Now, in the back of my mind, of course I was curious who was sending these donations.  There were never any NOTES on the Amazon slips, just the same initial and last name – box after box.  After a few months my curiosity got the best of me.  I worked up some courage and sent awkward messages to anyone I knew whose first initial and last name matched the Amazon slips.  I sent a neighbor this odd message, “Are these amazing donations for the Little Yellow Free Pantry that come with Amazon slips saying (first initial last name) from YOU?  I just opened another one - sunflower seeds, ramen, OLD BAY, spices, and hot sauce!!”.  I soon got this reply, “I'm sorry to say, not me. I know there are many of us with this initial and name!”.  I asked another possible contender, and after denying it was her, she said, “Aww. I wish I could claim it”.

 

And I will go ahead and confess here that in my heart of hearts, I connected this mystery donor to the other donor that I became long-distance mystery friends with – E.A. Raven.  She, like this new person, sent box after box of delightfully chosen items for the pantry.  Only, she included NOTES, which upped the ante and always made me smile.  And back then, Amazon was much more civilized and had a feature where recipients of gifts (me in these instances) could scan a QR code and write a short thank you back to the giver!!  So of course, with each E.A. Raven delivery, I would excitedly scan the QR code and send her (or was it a him???) a note back.  I didn’t know who I was writing, but I knew I was very grateful for them.

 

I didn’t find out who E.A. Raven was until after she had passed away.  Her sister Ann emailed me telling me of the death.  The email was so kind – “My sister Betty Raven loved donating items to your charity. Sadly, she passed a week ago. I wanted to inform you so that you understand why she stopped donating.”

 

The story of the strange long-distance friendship and the incredible woman’s kindness to a charity so far away became the topic of a piece in the Washington Post.  Talented journalist Theresa Vargas interviewed me and E.A. Raven’s family and shared the beautiful story of kindness.  And when the piece was published – boxes flooded in.  People from all around the country read the piece, were inspired by E.A. Raven’s kindness, and joined in the magic.

 

Just some of the MANY boxes that arrived after the first E.A. Raven story was published in
the Washington Post (December 2023)

I didn’t know it at the time, but one person who saw that Washington Post article about E.A. Raven realized that perhaps supporting the Little Yellow Free Pantry was just the thing she was looking for.  She was not a “people person”, but wanted to give back to the world.  She, like almost every person I have ever met, WANTED to be kind, but needed an outlet.  Could the Little Yellow Free Pantry and Kindness Activist fill the need??

 

Ironically, E.A. Raven had also found out about Kindness Activist through a story written by Theresa Vargas and published in the Washington Post.  The one she read was about the Santa Project – the delightful (and large) project we undertake each December.  Children write letters to Santa and mail them in a special box at our home, and Santa writes each child a letter back (there’s no AI in kindness, these are all written from the heart).  Each child also receives a gift/gifts that they requested.

 

Sweet letter writing finishing up his note to Santa (2025)

E.A. Raven had seen that story, been enthralled by our mission, and wholeheartedly jumped on board.

 

And now, it seemed, another person had seen the E.A.RAVEN story and been inspired to join in!  Talk about a kindness ripple!

 

But it was not my amateur sleuthing that solved the mystery.  You see, one day I woke up to an email that revealed the answer…  Someone had contacted Kindness Activist to ask what was the best way to make a monetary donation.  They signed the email with a single initial…  And the email address included the same last name as the mystery Amazon slips.

 

My heart leapt!!!  Could this be the person????  I replied far too quickly (and wrote far too much…):

 

“MYSTERY SOLVED!!

 

(Initial and last name) - you do not know how hard I have tried to find you!!!  

 

The donations - oh the beautiful pantry donations!!  All with the same first initial and last name.  

 

Every time I open one (or a pantry crew member opens one), the mystery:  SAME NAME.  Who is this person?  Do I know them???  Are they a neighbor?  Are they someone I have met in passing???

 

Are YOU the person of the mystery pantry donations????  If so, THANK YOU!  You have sent so many amazing donations for the pantry and helped us feed the community.  You have helped refill the storage shelves when they were getting low, and you have made so many people happy with the thoughtful choices you send.  And you have made ME happy (not that that is the goal...) by being so supportive of our mission.  THANK YOU!

 

Thank you for reaching out.  This was the BEST morning email to wake up to!! “

 

I sent that overly long email July 15^th.

 

And I waited.

 

And waited.

 

No reply.

 

Did I scare her away??  Oh, I shouldn’t have been so effusive.  But I couldn’t help it – I was so EXCITED!!

 

So, I kept waiting.

 

And 8 days later, a reply came…

 

“Yes, (first initial last name) is me.  I’m happy to have provided you a mystery.  I can’t resist them, too!

 

I should thank you for providing me with a way to help.  I’m not at all a “people person”, so volunteering seemed impossible.  But the December, 2023, W. Post article about your pantry showed me a way.  I donated via another user name through 2024 and into 2025 when I opened this new account.

 

The “shopping” is strangely soothing for me; very useful when I’m stressed.  Also, it has made me reconsider my attitudes toward food.

 

Anyway, please send me an address or your Venmo information.  Either way is fine. Thanks!”

 

THE MYSTERY WAS SOLVED!

 

Of course, there were still so many questions I wanted to ask.  But I also wanted to be respectful of her time, and didn’t want to overwhelm her.  I wrote back:

 

“I am so glad that you replied.  And am so happy to have solved the mystery!!

 

And you referenced the Washington Post article from December 2023, the one about the OTHER mystery donor, E.A. Raven, right.  Seeing that reference made me tear up.  Secretly, quietly, I called you the "new" E.A. Raven.  I didn't want to say it out loud for fear of jinxing anything, but your kindness is so reminiscent of her that I couldn't help but think of her.  Because of that article, I got to meet her sister.  She and her husband even came to visit the pantry while they were on a trip!  And the story of her sister's generosity lives on through that Post story.  

 

I get the not being a people person thing.  I get "over peopled" sometimes and just need a break.  I am glad that we can provide this outlet for you to give back.  Without people like YOU, we could not feed the village.

 

I was doing an interview last evening and I tried to explain that running a program based on donations not only helps the recipients, but it also provides an outlet for the donors.  That is something we never considered when starting Kindness Activist, and honestly, I still have to stop myself sometimes and try and reframe it for me.  I worry that I ask too much, I don't want it to seem like we are begging.  But a kind supporter recently said, "Susan, stop.  Your asks provide an avenue for people to help.".  And that is true.  I really believe that deep down, we all want to be kind.  Sometimes it is just hard to find avenues to do it.

 

Thanks for revealing yourself.  As much as I adore a good mystery, this reveal was lovely!!”.

 

She wrote, “The E.A. Raven article made me think that I could help in a way that worked for me.   Like her, I think food shouldn’t be boring, so I buy all the spices, hot sauces and peppers that I can to make these prepared foods more interesting and to allow the people who can cook to be able to be creative.

 

Now, in 2026, I buy from Amazon only for your pantry.  I try to organize my orders so that I never pay a penny in shipping (without Prime) and make Amazon deliver on as many days as possible. For example, I place a $35-plus-change order late in an evening and then have 24 hours to contemplate what other items/timing of subsequent orders would necessitate separate shipments.  My “best” order last month required shipments on 4 different days. See how much amusement your wishlist provides!”.

 

Oh how I giggled.  That last nugget of information solved another part of the mystery – why when we got donations from this lovely woman, we would get them 2 or 3 days in a row.  It was because she was sticking it to the man!!!  Working the Amazon system in her favor.  I love it!

 

In the month since this lovely story developed, this amazing human has also sent a monetary donation to Kindness Activist.  It is hard to express how thankful we are for the support. 

 

And the whole experience has been a reminder of how important KINDNESS RIPPLES are.

 

Little did E.A. Raven know, when she was resting in bed in Indiana ordering food for a pantry some 500 miles away, what a PROFOUND impact her kindness would have.  I reckon she thought she was sending just ketchup.  Or sardines.  Or cake frosting.

 

But what she was really sending was love.  And hope.  And, of course, kindness.

 

Her generosity inspired so many others.  The stories shared in the Washington Post have been read by many and resulted in the pantry receiving box after box of much needed supplies.

 

Thank you, Theresa Vargas for sharing the stories of kindness.

 

Thank you, E.A. Raven for being a beacon of love and light in what sometimes feels like a dark world.

 

And thank YOU, no longer a mystery donor.  Your kindness means the world to us.  We are grateful for your support and delighted to have solved the mystery!  Who knows, maybe someday we will end up in the same place at the same time…  Perhaps if I magical think it – it will happen!

 

Oh, and another amazing wrinkle to the kindness story.  We will be seeing E.A. Raven’s sister and brother-in-law again soon.  They are passing through our area and we will get together.

Meeting E.A. Raven's sister Ann the first time

 

I am smiling even writing this story.  It all seems so improbable. 

 

But it is true – I swear it is all true.

 

Because kindness begets kindness begets kindness.  Ripple after ripple.

 

The end (but never really the end…).

 

(Name of donor kept a secret to respect her privacy, and as one of my favorite songs says, to “Let the Mystery Be”.)

 

Washington Post article about the Santa Project:  Letters to Santa are left daily at this home. Mrs. Claus is ready. - The Washington Post

Washington Post article about E.A. Raven:  Boxes kept arriving from a mystery donor. An obituary revealed her name. - The Washington Post

Iris Dement singing “Let the Mystery Be”:  Let The Mystery Be - Iris DeMent H.Q.

Just some of the amazing donations that came in after Washington Post ran
Theresa Vargas' final column, which included the magical story of E.A. Raven and her kindness
(June 2024)

You Reap What You Sow

This is a story about an act of kindness that floored me.  One that was actually jaw dropping to me.

It is not an act of kindness we performed. 

Instead, it is one we received.

We have been working on upgrading our bathroom.  What started as a simple project – replace a wonky faucet – quickly snowballed into much more: getting a new vanity, counter, sink, medicine cabinet, light fixture, painting the walls, replacing an outlet…  Oh, and yeah, a new faucet.  That’s how things always go, isn’t it?  Home repair projects start small, then grow exponentially and drag on forever.

 

Anyway, this work is being done in our beach house.  We escape here when we can to take in the sunshine and sand and recharge.  When we are not here, we rent it to vacationers (which gives us the income to keep it all going).  Because we “share” it with strangers, we need to keep it up and have it look nice.  (I say this to point out that our “real house”, the one we live in the majority of the time, needs MAJOR BATHROOM WORK and has for, well, years!  But have we tackled it?  No, no we have not…)

 

And because it is a second home, we do not have all of the bits and bobs here that we do at our main home.  We have limited storage space here, plus, we just live a “pared down” existence here, which is good for our souls.  The garage is small, and it has to house important things like beach toys and lawn chair cushions and bikes and our teeny tiny Fiat Pop car.  All of that does not leave much room for tools. 

 

At home, we have loads of tools and usually can find whatever we need to get a job done.  But at the beach house, we sometimes knock on neighbors’ doors and ask to borrow this or that.  We used to have a great next-door neighbor here who was thrilled to share his tools with us.  Sadly, he has long since moved away.

 

So, the other day when we realized that to make the new vanity fit, we would need to cut a piece of TILE, we were stumped.  David had brought his Dremel tool on this trip with him for a craft project I plan to do, but he didn’t bring the right blade for it to do something as major as cutting tile.  No neighbors had what was needed.  An Amazon search brought up an expensive Dremel brand single disc, or 6 off-brand cheap discs…  But going that route meant waiting 2 days (overnight delivery is not a thing here like it is at home), and we were trying to get the vanity IN.  So, we did what we do soooo often – we headed to the hardware store (the hardware store is David’s very favorite place to shop)!

 

We found the Dremel section and located what we thought was the right bit, but there are so many pieces to Dremels, and we needed the second piece that would hold the disc on.  We decided we needed assistance so hunted down an employee.

 

The employee was so nice!  When asked what Dremel bit was good for our project, he said, “Oh, I don’t ever use Dremels…  I use a GRINDER!  And look – I still have all 10 fingers!” he said as he smiled and showed us both hands.

 

“Ah yes!” David said jokingly.  “Wanna loan it to us?”

 

“Sure!  For a 6 pack of beer!” the employee joked back and we all laughed.

 

I remembered a tool I had given David for Christmas a few years ago and asked if THAT would work in this situation.  It turns out that yes, if we had that here at this house, that would be a good tool for this job.

 

“Well, since the Dremel pieces are going to be so expensive anyway, maybe we should invest in one of those tools for this place??” I said.

 

And that is when the 3 of us started the hunt for a Dewalt Multi-Tool.

 

Now people, if you have never strolled the tool aisles of a large hardware store, you do not know this.  But there are a surprisingly overwhelming number of electric tools…  There seem to be specialized tools for each and every job.  And not only that, but each BRAND makes at least 1 or 2 versions of each type of tool.  And the batteries from brand A do not work with brand B, so if you have brand A batteries for something else and want to share them with your new toy, you want to buy brand A again.  This makes it very confusing, and very hard to find the exact make and model you are in need of.

 

Anyway, the employee was really dedicated to helping us find what we needed.  He looked it up on his computer and took us to where it was.  Or I should say, where it was supposed to be.  Only, it wasn’t there.

 

We hunted up aisles.  We hunted down aisles.  We looked on end-caps.  We looked on special tables.  But that one specific tool was no where to be found. 

 

He was a bit embarrassed I think, and felt he was wasting our time.  Plus, he probably kind of felt that he had “failed” us (though it was no fault of his, and it was not for lack of trying!).  Eventually, he said, “Ya know…  I think I have my grinder in my truck.  Do you wanna just borrow it??”.

 

And this time, he was not joking.

 

He was serious!

 

“Uh – YES PLEASE!” was our enthusiastic reply.

 

“Wait here, I will be back…” he instructed.

 

As we waited, he popped out to his truck and set the grinder outside of his toolbox to make it easy to find.  He came back and told David the make and model of his truck and where it was parked.  “Just use mine,” he said.  “But wear eye protection and gloves!!” he added.

 

I was shocked.

 

A complete stranger was going to loan us an expensive tool, no questions asked.  He didn’t even ask for our NAMES or PHONE NUMBER!!

 

We got his name, and figured out a plan to return the tool when we were done with it.  I asked for his number before we left so that we could contact him and tell him when we were bringing it back.  We checked out with our other items, and off we went to hunt down his truck.

 

It was just so TRUSTWORTHY of him!  I mean, when we opened his big, beautiful, new truck (which he had left unlocked so we could get in!!), there were lots of tools in there.  We could have easily cleaned them out, loaded them into our car, and took off.  He didn’t know us from Adam.  But he trusted us, and he was kind.

 

We took the grinder, replaced it with a $20 bill, and headed home. 

 

The next day, David used the borrowed tool and successfully cut the tile.  The vanity fit right into place and it looks beautiful.  I sent the kind guy a few texts with photos so he could see the project that he had helped us with. 

 

Eye protection, gloves, and a fancy grinder tool!

David is getting ready to take the tool back to him today, along with some fresh peaches from our tree.  We will look for him, I am sure, each time we shop at that store. 

 

I won’t forget this act of kindness. 

 

It meant so much more than saving us a few bucks. 

 

It reminded me that there are good people in the world.  People who trust others, who believe in strangers. 

 

People who are KIND.

 

Now that I tell it, it sounds like such a simple story.  I mean, why did it surprise me so much?  And honestly, when I think about it in reverse, it is very much something I would do…  When you see someone who needs something and that thing is something you have, why not share it??

 

But most people don’t roll that way.  Most people can’t put down their guard.  Maybe they have been burned before, or maybe they were taught to not talk to strangers.  Or maybe they see the world in a more practical light and think doing something like this is ridiculous or risky.

 

When I recounted this story to a friend, she said, “Kindness begets kindness.  You reap what you sow, Susan”.

 

What a sweet reminder. 

 

That amazed feeling I got, that jaw dropping sensation when I reviewed in my mind what had just happened, I have been honored to provide that same feeling to many, many people via acts of kindness.  I bet after we pay for a stranger’s Christmas tree, or put quarters in people’s laundromat washing machines, or pick up the tab on someone’s groceries, or buy a gift off a stranger’s online wedding registry…  I bet those people feel the same way I felt when the employee said, “I think I have my grinder in my truck.  Want to just borrow it??”.

 

It was fun being on the receiving end of a big act of kindness. 

 

Thanks, new friend.  Your generosity, trust, and kindness meant more than you know.

Happy Birthday from a Kind Kid

I have said it before and I will say it again:  KIND KIDS GIVE ME HOPE FOR THE FUTURE.

We get a lot of messages at Kindness Activist.  Things pop in every day.  Messages like:

“I have a 6 foot sofa, do you know anyone who might need it?”*

and “I lost my job and am having a really hard time, would it be possible to get some shampoo and soap?”**

and “We love what you are doing.  Thanks for making the world a kinder place”***

and “My child needs 27 volunteer hours by next Tuesday, can you help?”****

and “Is Kindness Activist a 501c3?  If so, I would love to donate and will use it as a deduction on my taxes”.*****

But we recently got a fun message, one that doesn’t pop in often.  It came from a mother and said, “Good afternoon Susan!  My 4-year-old wanted to make birthday cake kits for others for his birthday. We made 20 kits, which include everything you need for a celebration. They have: cake mix, icing, sprinkles, candles, forks, plates, vegetable oil, and a birthday card. Is this something the kindness house would be willing to share with others in our neighborhood?  If not, we can give them to food for others but wanted to check with you first.”

Isn’t that so sweet?  It turns out that J turned 4 in June, and instead of gifts, his family asked friends to bring items for birthday cake kits!  After collecting, they went to the store and he picked out all the extra things needed.  And guess what?  J met his goal of making 20 kits!

I mean come on.  How many kids would forego birthday presents for themselves to help make someone else’s birthday better???

J, you are a KIND KID.  We so appreciate you thinking of the “kindness house” and the guests of the Little Yellow Free Pantry.  Because of YOU, 20 people are going to have better birthdays (complete with candles and a card!).  You are making the world a kinder place (and at the same time, giving me hope for the future).

Kind kids are where it’s at.  Kids get it.  They know what kindness is about.

And the kind kids will soon grow up to be lawyers and teachers and doctors and electricians and soccer players and company owners and entrepreneurs and baristas…

And LEADERS. 

May the kind kids grow up to be the leaders that we need to make the country (and the world) a kinder place.

P.S. – we have enough cake kits for the rest of the summer thanks to J.

(Answers to the messages referenced above)

*We are not currently accepting donations for a Kindness Sale, but every once in a while we do help items find their way to people in need.  And when we can’t, we refer donors to other local organizations.  But please contact us and ASK, do not just drop items off without checking (unless they are for the pantry).

**”Yes!  We would be happy to give you some shampoo and soap. Do you want bar soap or body wash?  Need any toothpaste?  Deodorant?  Sorry about your job. Times are tough for a lot of people right now.  You are not alone.”

***”Thanks so much!  We really appreciate you taking the time to reach out and tell us that.  Your email made us super happy.”

****Unfortunately, we get this request a LOT. The problem with it is: the request usually comes from the parent, not the child who actually “needs the volunteer hours”.  And the requests often come very last minute.  We love working with young volunteers, but really prefer the child to ask us, and we need to plan in advance so often cannot accommodate these requests last minute.

*****”Why yes we ARE a 501c3, and as such, your donation is tax deductible!  We appreciate your support of our mission, and ensure that the funds you give will be used to spread kindness. Our email is kindnessactivist@gmail.com if you have any questions.”